The conclave to select the next pope has begun after Catholic cardinals from across the world filed into the Sistine Chapel Wednesday before sealing themselves inside.

Cardinals from all over the world will gather in conclave on Wednesday to elect a successor to Pope Francis. There were 135 cardinal electors when Pope Francis died, but two are not attending the conclave,

The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals find a new leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church. They bowed before the altar and took their places before taking an oath of secrecy and shutting the Sistine Chapel doors to start the conclave.

Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago will succeed Pope Francis as the leader of the Catholic Church. Prevost, the first American pope in history, will go by Leo XIV. Here's a look at the scenes across Rome and nearby countries after white smoke poured from the chimney.

Catholic cardinals gather and sequester themselves in the Vatican for the start of a conclave to elect a new pope.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo led the Sioux City diocese as bishop for six years during the early 2000s. The 75-year-old is participating in his second conclave after being an elector during the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88.

While the cardinals are known to wear their scarlet red attire, some individuals involved in conclave proceedings were seen in black and purple vestments. Colors often represent the different ranks of the Catholic Church. The pope is usually dressed in white, while cardinals are dressed in scarlet robes.

Pope Leo XIV gave a homily at a Mass a day after he was chosen to lead the Catholic Church. Here's what the new pontiff said, and what he's up to in the coming days.

Catholic cardinals will sequester themselves Wednesday behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for the start of a conclave to elect the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church has issued a warning to its clergy in Washington state: Any priest who complies with a new law requiring the reporting of child abuse confessions to authorities will be excommunicated.